Entries tagged with the_chalice

I did not realise I still had this. It's the reason I thanked Tim in the acknowledgements of The Chalice. He planted the seeds just a bare few months before the sudden birth of Cadmus Pariah. I think he wrote this in response to my nattering about Lilith (who eventually became Kelat in the final drafts), when she was the initial villain in the bare bones of the story I was trying to write. The cup was his idea. The first Relic belonged to him. Many times I wished I'd kept the chalice drabble. And I did. I find it really ironic and symbolic that I found this on the ten-year anniversary of the Cliffs of Insanity. Here is what he wrote.

The first rays of morning searched and probed its way through the canopy of dark and steamy equatorial cypress and fern, until at last it softly touched the rim of the chalice which seemed almost to flinch as if being branded with a hot iron. Still half buried in a mixture of rotting mulch and silt, the chalice breathed its first breath of moist air in almost four hundred years. The golden cup, still crusted with red rubies and diamonds from Imperial English Court had lost none of its lustre or forboding power. Tropical rains usually raise the rivers over their brims to spread over the marshes and glens, but last night's thundering downpour had elevated the water to new heights and, for the first time in centuries, the vein-covered temple ruins were washed clean of leaves and soil. Even the sacrificial mould was literrally carried in half by the torrent to reveal the secrets that lay buried for generations. The time had come for the evil shadow to raise its despised head and once again greedily consume men's hearts and souls. The modern world could scarcely dream of such dark secrets and powers that that would shortly camp about their realm of security and lighted cities.

This mystery is always mystified me, and actually ended up in the narrative of The Chalice. Do I believe this theory? Not really certain. I prefer more mysterious explanations, being a child of the age of In Search Of...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — A new look at a 425-year-old map has yielded a tantalizing clue about the fate of the Lost Colony, the settlers who disappeared from North Carolina's Roanoke Island in the late 16th century.

Experts from the First Colony Foundation and the British Museum in London discussed their findings Thursday at a scholarly meeting on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Their focus: the "Virginea Pars" map of Virginia and North Carolina created by explorer John White in the 1580s and owned by the British Museum since 1866.

"We believe that this evidence provides conclusive proof that they moved westward up the Albemarle Sound to the confluence of the Chowan and Roanoke rivers," said James Horn, vice president of research and historical interpretation at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and author of a 2010 book about the Lost Colony.

"Their intention was to create a settlement. And this is what we believe we are looking at with this symbol — their clear intention, marked on the map ..."

Attached to the map are two patches. One patch appears to merely correct a mistake on the map, but the other — in what is modern-day Bertie County in northeastern North Carolina — hides what appears to be a fort. Another symbol, appearing to be the very faint image of a different kind of fort, is drawn on top of the patch.

The American and British scholars believe the fort symbol could indicate where the settlers went. The British researchers joined the Thursday meeting via webcast.

In a joint announcement, the museums said, "First Colony Foundation researchers believe that it could mark, literally and symbolically, 'the way to Jamestown.' As such, it is a unique discovery of the first importance."

White made the map and other drawings when he traveled to Roanoke Island in 1585 on an expedition commanded by Sir Ralph Lane. In 1587, a second colony of 116 English settlers landed on Roanoke Island, led by White. He left the island for England for more supplies but couldn't return again until 1590 because of the war between England and Spain.

When he came back, the colony was gone. White knew the majority had planned to move "50 miles into the maine," as he wrote, referring to the mainland. The only clue he found about the fate of the other two dozen was the word "CROATOAN" carved into a post, leading historians to believe they moved south to live with American Indians on what's now Hatteras Island.

But the discovery of the fort symbol offers the first new clue in centuries about what happened to the 95 or so settlers, experts said Thursday. And researchers at the British Museum discovered it because Brent Lane, a member of the board of the First Colony Foundation, asked a seemingly obvious question: What's under those two patches?

Researchers say the patches attached to White's excruciatingly accurate map were made with ink and paper contemporaneous with the rest of the map. One corrected mistakes on the shoreline of the Pamlico River and the placing of some villages. But the other covered the possible fort symbol, which is visible only when the map is viewed in a light box.

The map was critical to Sir Walter Raleigh's quest to attract investors in his second colony, Lane said. It was critical to his convincing Queen Elizabeth I to let him keep his charter to establish a colony in the New World. It was critical to the colonists who navigated small boats in rough waters.

So that made Lane wonder: "If this was such an accurate map and it was so critical to their mission, why in the world did it have patches on it? This important document was being shown to investors and royalty to document the success of this mission. And it had patches on it like a hand-me-down."

Researchers don't know why someone covered the symbol with a patch, although Horn said the two drawings could indicate the settlers planned to build more of a settlement than just a fort.

The land where archaeologists would need to dig eventually is privately owned, and some of it could be under a golf course and residential community. So excavating won't begin anytime soon. But it doesn't have to, said Nicholas Luccketti, a professional archaeologist in Virginia and North Carolina for more than 35 years.

Archaeologists must first re-examine ceramics, including some recovered from an area in Bertie County called Salmon Creek, he said.

"This clue is certainly the most significant in pointing where a search should continue," Lane said. "The search for the colonists didn't start this decade; it didn't start this century. It started as soon as they were found to be absent from Roanoke Island ... I would say every generation in the last 400 years has taken this search on."

This is the first day I've had to myself in about a month. The first thing I set out to do was add The Chalice Kindle artwork and a link to the e-book to my LJ profile. My head is so scattered from lack of sleep and a tad too much stress, it took me about an hour to sort it out the way I wanted it to look on the profile. Honestly, I don't know what else I'll do today. Hopefully a nap is in my immediate future. Aunt Tudi is sleeping like whoa today and my aim is to follow suit. At least, now, people who visit The Cliffs of Insanity will know that The Chalicenow has a presence on Amazon Kindle.

Bitten by Books is a site that focuses on reviewing books about the paranormal, Vampires in particular. When The Chalice was published theafaye and I submitted the book to Bitten by Books for review. Just in time for the Kindle release the site has posted its review of the first book of The Vampire Relics. Here's the beginning of the review and link to the entire piece on the website. Please let me know what you think of the review when you have the time and inclination to do so!

In the time of early humanity, ten Elfin gather in a sacred grove to conduct an annual magick ritual when horror enters the world. One of their own, the Apostate, entraps them in a dark magic circle and unleashes a curse that turns them all into the Upry – vampires. The ten behold each other, and seeing the monsters they have become all flee.But their new vampire natures rule them, and they leave a bloody trail behind as they quench their newfound thirst for blood and destruction. Outcast from their Elfin brethren and in loneliness, they begin to create others to be like them and soon there are “Hives” of vampires, each Hive reflecting the nature of one of the original ten.

Fey Publishing has informed me that The Chalice is now available on Amazon Kindle. It comes with a sneak peak of the next book, The Blood Crown and is graced with some beautiful artwork by Khanada Taylor. If you're interested in what it's all about, do click the pretty picture to be taken to the page!

Someone sent me this picture of Tom Hardy with a note expressing confidence that I would like it. And I do. acook, this reminds me, I need to send you Cadmus' secondary anchor ~ Tom Hardy. Stay tuned for an email with more photies.

In the meantime, here's a couple of photies of Tom Hardy, one very Cadmusian in black leather and pale skin. The other is very tribal, which Cadmus most definitely has no problems submitting himself to the chaotic realm of tribal rites and ritual. It's insane how this boy can transform himself.

I wrote the folks at Malaprops about a possible reading gig for The Chalice. Now that I have the ability to go home, I'll have the chance to be more proactive with the Malaprops. I can get in their faces. :)

So, my visit to Dr. Pilch went well. He listened to my account of the seizure, which was rather brief, since I'd been asleep when I had it, and he examined my tongue. Oh man, that was fun. He was so close to me, I could have leaned in a little and licked right up his cheek. Temptation was playing 1970s porn flick music in my naughty naughty brain. I overcame my baser inclinations, though, and remained still so Dr. Pilch could finish his examination. After he finished, he said that my bite was in a classic location for someone who had seized, and that the seizure sounded like your typical tonic clonic episode. He was altogether unconcerned with what had happened. I apologised for coming in early, but explained that all this was still quite new to me, so I wasn't certain if there was cause for concern or not. He immediately told me that I'd done the right thing by coming on in and that he completely understood why I was so worried about having had the seizure and how my tongue just didn't seem to want to heal at any decent speed. The good (looking) doctor explained to me the anatomy of the tongue and why it will take time to heal, and that I'd been doing exactly the right things to promote as fast a healing as possible. I'm supposed to continue washing my mouth after each meal, and using salt water and diluted peroxide on the wound. He answered all of my questions about the seizure and bite, then asked me about my disability ruling.

We talked about that for a few minutes and then Dr. Pilch surprised the hell out of me by asking me about when my second book was being published. I told him that I wasn't sure, although it might be in September. The doc asked to have his memory jogged on the title of my first book. I told him, and he wrote the name down and asked if I'd been published under my own name or a pen name. I told him my own name and he took note of that, saying he was going to look into buying a copy. Whaaa-aaat? My gorgeous neurologist is interested in reading The Chalice? I near about had another seizure right there in the exam room. I don't go back to see Dr. Pilch until November. If he gets the book and reads it before then, Great Goddess only knows what he'll have to say to me when he sees me again.

It was reassuring to get a completely nonchalant reaction to my seizure report. It said to me that the situation was not nearly as dire as I thought it might be, despite my gnawing on my tongue like it was a New York Strip steak. I was also relieved to find out that the knot that has developed on my tongue where the wound is healing will eventually go away. I told Dr. Pilch that I keep almost biting it because of where it is on my tongue, jutting out close to my back teeth (I need to take a picture of the horrid thing). His response was, and I quote - "You don't want to do that." Gee, Handsome, you don't say! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! But, yeah, he reassured me in addition to being the eye candy I so needed to see right now.

I owe him almost $300. It tickled me stupid to be able to tell the receptionist that I'd be back sooner rather than later to square off my debt to Neurology Centers of the Carolinas.

I need to vacuum the house today, probably when Aunt Tudi wakes up. She got up and took her meds, then lay back down. She had it rough at physical therapy yesterday, so she really needs the rest. I don't want to bother her rest with a noisy vacuum cleaner.

Later on today, Janice is coming down to help me figure out how to block off the top of a certain area of the fence. Fitzgerald is climbing up and over the fence at this point and got out four times while Aunt Tudi and I were gone yesterday. Janice got him back in the yard each time and she saw what he was doing, so hopefully we'll be able to nip this in the bud once and for all. If this doesn't work, I'll have no choice but to crate his little irritating arse.

The Mother Unit proofread The Blood Crown for me and left me extensive notes with suggestions on things to change and grammatical errors. I need to start trawling through that and making the necessary adjustments to the manuscript in preparation to send it to Sophie. I also need to order another copy of The Chalice to send to vwip now that the moneys are finally transferred from PayPal. That four day wait can seem incredibly long sometimes.

Something that morriganwind wrote on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I'm humbled by her words. If you've read the book and want to write a review, please go to either or both sites and speak your mind. Good or bad, I'd love the feedback!

Posted October 25, 2010, 2:30 PM EST: While it's a different style of prose, Tracy Evans' tale of vampires flows with a beauty that is missing in most vampire fic of today, and indeed most modern fiction. The description she paints brings forth the most beautiful imagery, which is sorely lacking in paranormal literature today. I yearn to learn more of the wondrous creatures that inhabit her universe, I suppose I will have to simply be patient to see the second and third book of the series.

It's not too late to get an autographed copy of The Chalice. It's never too late. So send me your $25.00 and I shall send you a copy of the novel with my moniker right on the inside page. What a hard thing to pass up. Impossible, really!

The days are pleasant and the nights are wonderfully crisp, cool enough you can see your breath as you shudder and pull your flannel closer around you. I love weather like this. It's so rare in South Carolina but, in the mountains of North Carolina, there is an abundance of blessed days such as this. We're supposed to go to Asheville later on this month to meet up with falkenna, janalyson, and paulpearson23. clumsycake and Diane will probably go with us. I'm also going to Malaprops and talk to them about selling my book and possibly arranging a book signing. I think they'll be excited that they're mentioned in The Chalice. I wish I could have extended that scene, but I think it works the way it is. So I am looking forward to a trip to a beautiful place that will be at the height of its painting-perfect pique, meeting up with good friends, and attempting to exude some enthusiasm about the book to the manager of Malaprops. We don't know the date yet but, when we do, I'm sure I'll get all excited about it, dreaming of that crisp, clean Autumn mountain air.

The first batch of autographed books will be going out tomorrow. I have to wait to receive the second batch to sign, so please be patient with me. I went to address the package for Barry and I couldn't find his address! Like a moron, I had to email him and request his domicile once again. He's going to become convinced I'm a stalker, especially if my dream comes true and I end up living in the West Country. Even though I would be in Avebury, not Swindon.

I've done a bit more self-promotion today and I've come to grips with the ugly truth: I can pump up anybody, but I get shy about myself. Sophie has said the push of the book will happen in a few months, when she will be promoting all the Fey books. I'm grateful for that because I feel like I suck at doing this for myself. I'll take opportunities to advertise the book, but I'm clueless about anything else I can so right now. I'm just hoping the book does well via hearsay and that it explodes in popularity once Sophie weaves her magick wand.

If you want me to autograph your copy of 'The Chalice.' please send $25 to susperia5atyahoo.com on PayPal. Once I get your dough, I'll get the book, sign it, and send it your way. I could really use the dough, so please consider this.

That last post almost drove me to distraction thanks to the html and xml codes. I was about to tear the computer apart and run about like a hooligan. Now that I have that sorted (for the most part), I can get on with my other jobs. I'm looking for sites that do free reviews and, especially, reviews from reading a file instead of reading an actual book. I'll need to buy more books for the review sites and, to be honest, I don't have the money to do that.

If you have any recommended sites, please pass them on to me. I'm eager to get the book Out There. I want to do my part in this, even though I know Sophie is working hard to promote the book herself. I surely don't want to step on any toes when all I want to do is help.

So yeah, I'm trolling through sites like that. I'm also going to force myself to start reading my book. I've read it a dozen times, proofreading and altering things. This is the final product. I want to see what has come to fruition.

I made Aunt Tudi some toast. She wasn't much for eating and her shoulder is in such bad pain, she just wasn't up to fixing her own breakfast. Despite her illnesses, she insists on being independent. The problem is, she's 66 and has a host of health problems. Her days of being completely self-sufficient are waning.

The books are out for delivery today. I've already written out what I'm going to write in each book. I'm put off that morriganwind and booraven22 went and bought copies 'cos they were on my list of recipients. Oh well, boo on them. I'm particularly nervous about sending a copy to Barry. What on Earth is he going to think? That I'm a whacko? That I'm a cloaked genius? That I have serious Shriekback issues? I don't know. But this is my bit of bravery to send him a copy. After all the inspiration he's given me, he deserves a signed copy of the book that features our demonic brainchild.

I'll be getting my books no later than the 28th. Can I wait until then without having a Beeker attack? God only knows. Sophie has been incredibly communicative with me and most helpful. I can't ask for a better publisher than Fey Publishing. When they tout the phrase "see the world through different eyes," they truly mean it. I can't wait until it truly goes live on Amazon so I can show it off. I'm wondering if it'll be available on Barnes & Noble as well. There's just a part of me that hopes it shows up there.

We're planning on a trip to Asheville soon, at which time I'll be taking a copy of the book to Malaprops. Something tells me they'll be wanting to buy wholesale and pat me on the back for mentioning them. There are a lot of Ashevillian sites mentioned, but Malaprops is a bookstore. What bookstore wouldn't want a book that mentions them?

But all this hinges on whether or not I can wait until 28 September. I mean, man...KABOOM. That's how I feel. Maybe a nerve pill is in order. meemeemeemeeemeeemeee!

On a less freaked-out side of this post, if you receive your copy of the book, read it and want to write a review. Please do! Copy it to me and Amazon too. The more exposure I can get, the better it all is for the Tinlet.

booraven22 got her copy of The Chalice today, which means other people will be getting theirs soon as well. Now comes the period of time where I fret over whether they love it, like it, or hate it. I'd rather they either love it or hate it. Liking it means I haven't achieved what I wanted to do, and that's present something that touches people in a primal way. booraven22 sent me a copy of her holding the book and I think I peed a little in my pants, figuratively speaking. I can't wait to hold the thing and come to grips with it actually being real.

In other news, I found out that you can live in most foreign countries and still receive social security disability. If I get my disability, I'm selling everything I have, including my ass at the local truck stop, to get the money to move to England. My aim is Avebury, but anywhere in the West Country would be fine for me. I have a goal now, a dream that has the ability of being realised. It makes me feel like a new person. I'll have to tell Rosa, my counselor, about it and see if she can drum up any official information on such a thing as receiving benefits overseas.

Maybe the bio on the third book could read that I live in the West Country of England and I'm still trying to find Cadmus' hideaway castle. 'Cos you know Eddie Izzard said that Europeans all live in castles. Right? Right-O.

Ohhhh, I have discovered David Guetta, so I shall be listening to him in copious amounts for a while. Get used to it.

David Bowie is just a genius. For someone to think up the song 'Fashion' has to be a freakin' genius.

That's not what this post is about. It's just sort of random something.

Oh oh BIG NEWS. I'm writing a Joker fanfic. I need a vacation from everything else and I did promise acook a Femme Joker story. Not sure how it's gonna turn out, but I'm hellbent on writing it. It's my Joker. Same Joker I've always written except for that Mister J is Miss J instead. And she's out to date the Bat. So I'm working on that.

I've 16 copies of The Chalice coming to me, all of them spoken for. I'll be taking a copy up to Malaprops for certain so that they can see they get props in the book. Hopefully, they'll order a bunch wholesale and want me to do a book signing. That'd be groovy. I'd write my 'Writers' Cabal/Vampire Division' shirt up there for the big even. Man, am I such a dreamer.

Aunt Tudi made some buttery biscuits. There's nothing like a Southern buttermilk biscuit. Nothing at all. No, my English friends, it is not a cookie. It's a wad of cooked dough that will pitch a party in your mouth, especially if you add butter and jam to it. One big biscuit is like a meal to me, so Aunt Tudi makes sure to make what she calls "The Big Mama." That was my supper.

I sure hope this Pristiq works for Aunt Tudi pretty soon. She's gonna lose it and kill me if something drastic doesn't take place. Then again, my Cymbalta really isn't working all that well, so someone killing me isn't necessarily an unpleasant thought.

Now I'm listening to a song by Dave Brubek & Louis Armstrong. The bassline in this is very important to me because it's my grandfather Irving Manheim playing the upright. He played with so many people and I wish I knew who all were graced with his funky bassline. I often wonder what happened to his bass after he died. I want to someday create a website honouring both Irving Manheim and Helen Aprea (my grandmother, who sang in the Jazz Age up until lung cancer took her voice). I mentioned doing this with the Mother Unit, but my work with the book got to be the center of my attention. Perhaps after the sales begin to slow, I can collaborate with the unit on writing the website and her putting it together.

Ah, now Danny Elfman. The theme song from 'Wanted,' which makes me think of James McAvoy. Now I can't think at all.

After the sacrificial offering of blood, sweat, and tears, I'm happy to announce that The Chalice is now available for purchase. You can go to the Fey website for now and order it straight from the publisher. I'm sure after some time, it will be available via other media but, for now, you can buy it directly from Fey. Here's the link:

Please buy the book voraciously and pass the word on that the book is now available. The official release date was September 10th, my birthday. How cool is that? Happy purchasing and, most importantly, happy reading!

**EDIT**Those of you who want a signed copy can send me the money and I'll get the book and sign it for you. Just be sure that I have your full name. I know most of you, but I don't want to make any mistakes in whom I'm signing a book for. That would suck.

I've connected with Malaprops at the most tentative level regarding The Chalice mentioning the bookstore. Hopefully this will lead to their carrying it. They're an independent book store that I'm hoping will think The Chalice is good and groovy enough to sell. Once I have the book in hand, I'm planning on driving up there to show them where and how they're mentioned and give them the URL to Fey Publishing so they can order a bunch wholesale. Me? I have no shame.

Tom Petty got it right. Now that's all be said and done about The Chalice, all that's left is for the printers to do the Voodoo that they do so well, to Sophie's satisfaction. Not sure how long it'll take, but the release month is still September, so I"m guessing not long. Me? I'm the impatient little git saying "are we there yet?" in the backseat of the car. The whole situation has me jumpier than a virgin at a prison rodeo. I know that once the book goes live, I'm gonna obsess about how good or how bad it's going. I swear, my hair will fall out before all this is over.

Sophie sent me the final proof of The Chalice overnight. It looks beautiful! She's done an exemplary job on the manuscript. I emailed her back with one change to the acknowledgments and that should be it; it'll be ready for publishing. I still can't believe this is happening. It's like I'm living someone else's life.

Instead of running our errands today, I ran by the store and picked Aunt Tudi up a drink while I was out to see the nurse. Aunt Tudi had a rough night last night and didn't feel like going anywhere, so we're scheduled now to go out tomorrow after I finish with the dentist. Any day I don't have to go to Wal-Mart is, in my opinion, a wonderful day.

So...I'm having a wonderful day!

In other news, my hubcaps feel like two toothaches on cocktail weenie sticks. The pain just never freakin' stops. It makes me jumpy and irritable at best and, at worst, downright misanthropic...more so than usual! I want to rampage through Duncan like a T-Rex on Acid, picking up sundry pedestrians and biting them in twain just for the hell of it. I want to crack heads together like bad eggs from Iowa. Pain can make you mean. It's a good thing I'm too lazy to get all rowdy and break the law. Instead, I'll just complain about it here.

On a more positive note, the back and front covers of The Chalice are absolutely magnificent. I never thought I'd see the book wrapped in such loveliness. Props to spydielives for possessing a rare talent. I can't wait to hold this in my hands.

That's it for now. I have Cheerwine and plan on drinking it until I want to dash about on a sugar high. There's no telling what the afternoon holds when Cheerwine is at hand.

The lyrics are back in the book and getting them back allowed me to have more "conversation" with Carl Marsh. The man is a sweetheart. He passed on the lyrics to his two songs on the new Shriek album and I explained to him what I did with the song-by-songs for the band. He's just an absolute joy to communicate with, just like Barry Andrews, but without the fright. Ha ha!

So yeah, September. The MONTH. This is the month The Vampire Relics is due to be released. I'm nervous as hell. What if everyone hates it? How would that affect The Blood Crown and The Augury of Gideon? What if a posse is formed to come hang me for my written transgressions? This is where my brain is. Hope for the best, expect the worse. Thanks loads, Mel Brooks.

Aunt Tudi and I have errands to run and we need to drop by Wal-Mart for a handful of things. Gods forbid, I don't want to go there, but there's nothing for it. Go we must. Perhaps something worth writing about will pop up while I'm there. We shall see.

Thanks to booraven22, I'm building up my homebase in Twitter. I used to have quite the collection of souls, but they were for The Joker Blogs. This one is centered on The Vampire Relics. I hope it works 'cos I'm starting to learn that I suck at self-promotion. It's like being the Joker with a conscious. It's about memememememememeMEMEMEMEME.....oh sorry. Sheesh.

I think I have Facebook covered and LJ was never a problem because a personal journal is just that. I'm used to writing about anything and everything here without a sense of self-consciousness. Am I missing any social-networking sites? If so, will you let me know? Thank in advance.

I've been doing promotions in one way or another for over half my life, but I've never done it for myself. It makes me feel awkward, self-centered, and generally unpleasant, but I know it must be done 'cos nobody else is gonna do it. I had someone in line to do it, but I think she was just blowing smoke up my ass because I was being useful and being used. So now it's up to me.

I got my flyers today, so I'll be sending them to booraven22 in the next day or so. Office Max wasn't going to cut them without a fee, but they cut them anyway, which I think is nifty of them. I have 600 flyers to be handed out at Dragon*Con. Hopefully, this will pique the interest of the Goth division of the con and they shall all purchase the book voraciously and pass the news on to like-minded souls.

The flyers turned out beautifully and were cut to perfection. It was a very professional job for which I am eternally grateful. If I have any similar business in the future, I'll be going to Office Max.

The guys at Duncan Press remember me from the Pit days. They were happy to hear from me after all these years. I'm hoping that the goodwill we translate into a good deal for these flyers. Just goes to prove that you should always be decent toward people no matter what, because history will always return to haunt you for good or ill. I meet with Steve on Monday to discuss the details of what I need for this The Chalice flyer. They tend to get jobs done the same day, so I'm thinking I'll have the flyers to booraven22 by the following week at the latest.

I just called and left a message for Lewis. I reminded him of our association when I was at BMG, so hopefully he'll remember me and give me a break on creating the flyers. I'm hoping to have the flyers finished by Monday and then I'll mail them to booraven22 book rate. They'll arrive long before Dragon*Con and then we'll see if they work some magick as far as interest in the book.

There's no way I can print out the amount of flyers needed for Dragon*Con. The ink cartridges don't last for any length of time at all. So, tomorrow, I'm going to my local printing press, Duncan Press, to see what their fees would be to print me out 600 pages of the flyer, then cut that flyer in half to make the mini-flyers I need. I want to give booraven22 right at 1100. It would have been right at 1200, but the printer running out of ink like crazy messed up quite a few pages. Oh, this is frustrating. I want to do things on my own instead of having to depend on someone. Duncan Press is a reputable place, though. I used them all the time when I still worked in The Pit. They're fast and efficient. Now I know what I'm going to be doing tomorrow.

This is the full-page flyer which will be cut in two to create two mini-flyers to be handed out at Dragon*Con.

I got up with a crick in my neck that feels like it's the size of Florida and shaped pretty much the same as well. It hurts to turn my head either way, so driving later on will be fun. We have to go to the grocery store today for some foods, of which we are mostly out. It'll be later in the morning after the washing is done, so I have some time to piddle and proofread in the interim.

I've created a flier for The Chalice, which will be handed out at Dragon*Con, thanks to booraven22, morriganwind, and friends. Sophie wants me to include the Fey Publishing logo, which will be no problem as I still have it in .PSD format for any changes she wanted made to the flier. The Mother Unit is funding the ink and card stock I need to print them out. It's at times like this, I know I've done something right, 'cos it's coming back to me threefold.

Once the flier is complete, I'll post a picture of it here so everyone can see it. I think it looks pretty niftic, as Faust would say.

I've diddled around with the ending of The Augury of Gideon and I'm happier with it now, although I'm still not certain this will be the actual ending. It's a good thing I have the time to work on it some more 'cos the manuscript is far from ready to send to Fey. Something tells me I'll be amending it more before I ever send it to Sophie.

I got both written this morning. The synopsis wasn't so bad, but the bio kicked my butt. I never know what to say in a bio. I kept both short and sweet because sometimes minimalism is the right road to take. I feel like this is the case with The Chalice.

I got copied on a letter from Sophie to Amy (the art guru at Fey) forwarding her the image of Cadmus drawn by m0usegrrl. Amy is supposed to create the book cover for The Chalice and give any copyright credits appropriate to said image (see icon for the image in question). I was copied on the note to confirm the name of the trilogy and to make sure m0usegrrl is privy to the goings-on regarding her art. I am so loving this. I told Sophie and Amy that I'm so excited, I could pop. And I could, I really could.

The only downside is that it's hard for me to get into character while writing on The Augury of Gideon. Cadmus is being difficult (as usual) and I'm not even trying Gideon right now, even though I probably sound crazy. I've come to the realisation that you can't write good Vampire fiction (or what I consider good Vampire fiction) when you're freakin' gleeful.

Even though I didn't think I'd be able to reach it, I actually did reach my 3000 word goal today. And I ended it with Cadmus showing what looks like, for all intents and purposes, compassion. See as the story goes on, he will show more and more emotion so that, come the completion of The Augury of Gideon, he will be driven by emotion whether he likes it or not.

I got an email from Sophie saying the picture of Cadmus with the chalice would be fine as long as m0usegrrl didn't expect payment. I told her that the recognition would be payment enough; however, I'm asking here just to be on the safe side. m0usegrrl, is this picture okay to use for the cover of The Chalice? I recall your saying it was, but I want to be absolutely certain.

If so, do let me know. You'll have credit on the cover and inside the book.

Looks like everything is coming together. I'm just waiting for the ball of doom to drop on my head.

I haven't heard from Sophie about The Chalice yet. She said that I should contact her by mid-May if I hadn't heard anything, but I'm not sure I should be that pushy. I don't want to look desperate to publish the book, but I am pumped about it possibly being published. It's just that I hate getting my hopes up only to have them dashed and, like a total dumbass, I accidentally got my hopes up about this. The Chalice isn't like normal books though, so she may tell me to take a hike. The tale is very cyclic in nature and the way I tell it may not be to Sophie's taste. I just don't know. I'm freaking out a little that it's so close to mid-May. Maybe if I don't hear from her by mid-May, I should consider that a no-go, and just continue on my not-so-merry way. Ugh...

I told gunslingaaahhh, but the image has gotten stronger and just won't go away. I see Cadmus with his fingers hooked over the rim of the chalice, very poetic in appearance. His head is off to one side, his face is turned down slightly, but his eyes are cast upward, looking directly at...you. There's no expression on his face or in those eyes, just pure determination and a sense of ownership when it comes to his beloved cup. The cup is encrusted with all manner of unpolished and uncut precious and semi-precious stones, giving the receptacle a soft sheen of obvious power. Maybe a candle off to one side? Maybe not? Not sure. The image does remind me of the ink sketch I drew years ago, which was based on the lighting effect of a solitary candle in the presence of the Pariah. I need to go through my collection of B images to see if I can find a picture close enough to what I'm seeing in my head. Cadmus isn't the spitting image of B, but he's close enough to use any number of photographs as references for the illustration I see in my head. Now it's just a matter of finding someone who is willing to draw this picture in the next month or so.

Now, I need to find Carl's non-Facebook email address because I've the feeling I'll be waiting 1000 years if I don't reach out to him some way other than Facebook. Ugh.

I can't believe that I sent the finished product to Sophie and it contained a duplicate chapter and no sign of "The Priest King." Had it not been for trawling through the text for Shriek lyrics to get permissions from Barry, I would never have known it. I wrote Sophie, corrected my mistake, and chalked it quite honestly up to insomnia. So wahey! In a very direct way, Mr. Andrews saved the day. Now I have to wait on Carl Marsh to send me permission to use the lyric from "My Careful Hands" and we'll be all set as far as copyright permissions. Verily, I am thrilled.

Now it's just a matter of getting off my tuckus and continuing the story of The Blood Crown. Everything seems to be coming together in my mind. I want to get it on paper before I lose my mind.

gunslingaaahhh is almost finished editing The Chalice. She's sent everything but the final chapter and epilogue back to me and I am now in the process of reading through the final draft. Then it will be wholly complete if Sophie likes it enough to want to publish it. She has the prologue, "The Fur Trader," and "Sui Generis" to read. Everything hinges on whether or not these chapters impress her.

If she wants to publish the book, I've reconciled myself to the very real possibility that I might see no money in the sale of The Chalice. Most writers write for free for years before they ever start getting paid. I'm no different than anyone else. The most important thing is getting my name out there in the collective conscious, getting gunslingaaahhh's name recognised in publishing circles, and getting luvthyjoker's name out there in the art world. When The Blood Crown is published, there may be some money to be enjoyed that time around. Who knows?

All this is new to me, so I could be putting the cart before the horse here. I'm Jeff Lynne's "dreamer, the unwoken fool." At this point, I really shouldn't think about what to do next. Not until I hear back from Sophie with a yea or nay. In the meantime, I'll be in my bunk reading and listening to copious amounts of Shriekback.

After reviewing the criteria for consideration to be published, I chose the chapter from The Chalice, entitled "Sui Generis," to send to you. I'm also including a synopsis of the book in the body of this email. If you need or want anything else from me, or if my submission doesn't meet your criteria, please let me know and I'll do my best to rectify any issues. A word of warning about this chapter: there are instances of violence and suffering that were necessary to address because these deeds are what made Cadmus Pariah the creature he became.

The entire book is complete and going through another proofing by my editor, Jill Rosenburg. If you decide you want the entire manuscript, I'll be happy to send it along.

Synopsis of The Chalice

“The Chalice” tells the story of the magickally-charged cup of Kelat, the eldest and most powerful of all the Tribes of the Night. These Darklings, these Upir, are all bound to the fate of the chalice, which contains a few droplets of Kelat’s Blood. Trying to create something that would remove the curse from the Vampires, Kelat cast away the chalice, which eventually came into the possession of the alchemically-created living Vampire Cadmus. She must now attempt to retrieve the chalice from Cadmus, who plans to use it to summon the entire Hive and force the first created Vampires to look upon one another, thus destroying them all. Cadmus could then use the chalice to transform human blood into Vampire Blood, eventually enslaving humanity to the chalice. The story spans from the Middle Ages in Europe to a nebulous modern era in Asheville, North Carolina. It introduces the characters that have been affected by the chalice or Cadmus Pariah. It also builds a cone of power that climaxes in the Smoky Mountains when Kelat faces Cadmus, and the fate of the chalice is decided…for now.

I was telling gunslingaaahhh that there were fates worse than death when it came to encountering Cadmus Pariah. This cautionary piece, which was reworked to become a chapter of The Chalice was my first example of that. ( Beautiful Pets )